Hotel management platform Cloudbeds has partnered with Journey to introduce a loyalty platform designed for independent hotels participating in the Cloudbeds Collection.
The partnership integrates New York, NY-based Journey's loyalty technology into the Cloudbeds platform, letting participating hotels offer a unified rewards currency across the network. The companies said the initiative is intended to help independent properties drive direct bookings and compete more effectively with loyalty programs offered by major hotel brands, online travel agencies and credit card companies.
“Guest experience has never mattered more,” Rafael Blanes, chief growth officer at San Diego-based Cloudbeds, said in a statement. “Through our partnership with Journey, we're giving hoteliers the intelligence and infrastructure to turn every stay into a reason to come back, and to compete with anyone on the experience they deliver.”
“For 50 years, an independent hotel could only get chain-scale loyalty by giving up what made it independent. That tradeoff is over,” added John Sutton, CEO and founder of Journey.
Under the partnership, hotels will be able to offer rewards and incentives through direct booking channels. The platform also incorporates AI-powered guest intelligence tools that provide insights into traveler behavior, preferences and booking intent. Participating properties will have access to "Known by Journey," a conversational guest interface designed to gather information about traveler preferences and personalize future stays.